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april fools’ tricks for last-minute prankster parents

home / Activities / holidays / april fools’ tricks for last-minute prankster parents
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april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

Oh, friends.

How I love April Fools’ Day.

And how I love to drag my kids into the April foolery.

This year, I have been so busy that I haven’t had a chance to really sit down and plan like I have in the past–but I wasn’t going to let that stop me.

No way, Jose.

So I’ve got a few good April Fools’ tricks for the last-minute prankster parents in the group. Those people who like to trick their family but may not have remembered that April Fools’ Day was tomorrow until . . . well, just now.

Here’s the skinny. . .

April Fools’ Tricks for Last-Minute Prankster Parents:

I’ve got seven for you–seven pretty easy pranks that will be great for most families with kids who are a little bit older.

1. Brownies for Lunch

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

Last year I made a huge tray of these and brought them out to our neighbors–and they weren’t too happy.

This year, I thought I’d scale it down a bit–make small brown Es so that the kids could have them in their lunches at school. And break all of the cafeteria rules by sharing them at lunch.

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

I simply printed out two pages of our ‘brownies’, cut them apart, and wrapped them in foil. At lunch on April Fools’ Day, Maddy, Owen, and Cora will open up their ‘treat’ and have a big surprise!

Hopefully they’ll find it funny and will share them with their friends.

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

And because I’ll feel secretly guilty all day long, I’ll have real brownies as an after school snack. No fooling!

You can grab all of our April Fools’ Day tricks by clicking below:

buy now button

2. Basketball Hoop Plug

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

Every single day, Owen and our neighbors are outside shooting hoops.

So I thought I’d put a little wrench in their game today. We’ll see how it goes. . .

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

All I did was lower the hoop, stand on a chair, and use packing tape to secure plastic wrap to the rim.

Then I raised the hoop back to 10 feet.

Bam. Swoosh! Or not. . .

3. Banded Hairbrushes

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

Maddy and Cora always stand the same way when they’re brushing their hair: they stare at themselves in the mirror, grab their brush without looking, and tear through their knotty hair.

So this little trick will stop them in their tracks a little. Maybe.

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

I added rubber bands to their brushes. In and around the bristles of their brush. That’s it.

Heeheheheeeee.

4. Hidden Chargers

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

I’m not sure how your house is, but every day that the kids are permitted to use electronics, it’s a mad scramble for chargers. So I fixed that.

I took them all away.

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

Gathered as many as I could find, and I shoved them in a fancy, little bag.

And the really funny thing is that I’m going to keep the bag right on the table, just as it is, to see who actually notices and who then saves the day.

It’ll be a lesson in noticing what’s around. Kind of.

5. Removed Batteries

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

Even though Wednesdays are ‘unplugged’ days for us, another techy-trick I played is the ole battery removal trick.

Nothing fancy, friends.

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

Just a simple removal of the battery.

And no, my kids don’t all have phones. These are my husband and my older devices that the kids use as their ‘mobile game playing station’ of sorts.

I wonder who will be the first to catch on–on Thursday when they try to plug back in, that is!

6. Water Sports Drinks

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

We rarely have sports drinks around the house, but when we do, we often find ‘floaters’ around the house.

Gross. And. Frustrating.

Because they’re not cheap.

Half-finished drinks from who knows when just sitting around here and there like we’re a snack bar or something.

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

So as a trick, I refilled the bottles. Three of them.

With water and a drop of our bright neon food coloring.  Just a few drops in each, and then I shook them up really good.

And before school, I’ll say, Hey! I found these three last Gatorades in the fridge. Whose day is it? Pick a flavor–purple, blue, or red!

(Because when it comes down to it, aren’t sports drinks’ flavors colors and not real flavors? I mean really.

And they’ll probably pick on and think they will have a super awesome drink for lunch.

Bwwhahaaaaa.

7.  Switched Cereal

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

Ahhhhh, a simple one but a good one.

Switched the ole cereal bags inside the boxes. So when the kids try to pour the cereal, they’ll think they’re getting one thing but they’ll really get another.

So tricky am I. So tricky.

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

It’s worth noting that I do all of this trickery because my kids can take it. If they became upset or angry or inconsolable when I tricked them like this, of course I wouldn’t do it.

They’re used to my April Fools’ googly eyes. They know I usually do what I can to trick them or their father this time of the year.

So they’ll be ready.

I think. . .

Want some more ideas? Our many hilarious ideas include: 

  • fake bug on pillow
  • tape toilet paper roll
  • edible eyes in cereal
  • pudding coffee
  • big googly eyes in shower
  • jell-o juice
  • real and play food confusion
  • fake chicken wings & celery
  • fake bug in shoe
  • googly eyes everywhere
  • googly eyes on sandwich
  • family in news
  • googly eyes on plant
  • candy sushi
  • squid dogs
  • fake eggs and bacon

More April Fools’ Day ideas: 

  • Candy Sushi
  • Fakin’ & Eggs
  • 3 No-Fail Ways to Get Kids Laughing on April Fools’ Day
  • April Fools’ Tricks for Family
  • Fun & Easy April Fools’ Tricks for Kids

———————————————————————–

april fools' tricks for last-minute prankster parents  teachmama

Follow our board on Pinterest for more April Fools’ day ideas: 

Follow amy mascott @teachmama’s board april fools’ & simple, silly tricks on Pinterest.

fyi: affilliate links used in this post

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About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro · http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. karen

    February 18, 2016 at 8:38 am

    OH, HOW FUN! ONE OF OUR BOYS WAS ACTUALLY BORN ON April fool’s day (poor guy – especially when we admit he was induced…long story, yet true!) He’ll be 17 this year, and is a big basketball player. Hmmm….
    Thanks for the fun tips!

    Reply
  2. Sam @ Living The Dutch Dream

    February 19, 2016 at 6:09 pm

    Ha what fun! Normally I never remember until it’s too late. Now I have some funny ideas nice and early

    Reply
  3. Taylor-Made Homestead

    February 23, 2016 at 9:29 am

    How fun for a little harmless prankery from mom, thanks for sharing. Stopping by from the Making A Home – Homemaking link party.

    ~Taylor-Made Homestead~
    Texas

    Reply
  4. Grace

    February 23, 2016 at 5:47 pm

    Haha, so fun! My husband and I don’t have kids, but we like to trick each other still as well. One year I put numbing gel on his toothbrush, and he changed the language setting on my cell phone to German.

    Reply
    • amy mascott

      February 24, 2016 at 10:40 pm

      Grace!! SO SO SO FUNNY! I’m already on the hunt for a few new ones to use this year. . .the language change is a RIOT! The numbing gel? YIKES!! You two sound like a fun bunch!

      Reply
  5. Erin @ Stay At Home Yogi

    February 23, 2016 at 8:15 pm

    These are so fun! Will have to try them when my boys are a little older. I know my pre-teen stepdaughter would freak out over the hidden chARGERS (OKAY, i WOULD TOO!!)

    Reply
  6. Michelle

    February 23, 2016 at 9:14 pm

    Tricky, tricky 🙂 Great ideas, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  7. It's GinaB!

    February 26, 2016 at 6:21 am

    These pranks are so cool. My toddler is working on phonics and the letter prank would be perfect for her tricky self!
    I will be featuring your post as one of my features for this weeks BCI Link Up. Please feel free to pop over to my page and pick up the featured button. Hope to see you at the party!

    Reply
  8. Annmarie

    April 1, 2020 at 10:24 pm

    I put plastic wrap on my dad’s toothpaste thing so when he opens it he will find out it does not work.

    Reply
    • amy mascott

      April 3, 2020 at 2:45 pm

      bwwahahahahaaaaaa!!! but YIKES!

      Reply

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